US Navy intercepts Russian bombers
WASHINGTON (AP) - February 11, 2008 A U.S. military official says that one Russian Tupolev 95 flew
directly over the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz twice, at a low
altitude of about 2,000 feet, while another bomber circled about 58
miles out. The official was speaking on condition of anonymity
because the reports on the flights were classified as secret.
The Saturday incident, which never escalated beyond the flyover,
comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and Russia
over U.S. plans for a missile defense system based in Poland and
the Czech Republic.
Such Russian bomber flights were common during the Cold War, but
have been rare since.
The bombers were among four Russian Tupolev 95s launched from
Ukrainka in the middle of the night, including one that Japanese
officials say violated their country's airspace over an uninhabited
island south of Tokyo.
U.S. officials tracked and monitored the bombers as two flew
south along the Japanese coast, and two others flew farther east,
coming closer to the Nimitz and the guided missile cruiser USS
Princeton.
As the bombers got about 500 miles out from the U.S. ships, four
F/A-18 fighters were launched from the Nimitz, the official said.
The fighters intercepted the Russian bombers about 50 miles south
of the Nimitz.
At least two U.S. F/A-18 Hornets trailed the bomber as it came
in low over the Nimitz twice, while one or two of the other U.S.
fighters followed the second bomber as it circled.
The official said there were no verbal communications between
the U.S. and the Russians, and the Pentagon has not heard of any
protests being filed by the United States. Historically, diplomatic
protests were not filed in such incidents because they were so
common during the Cold War era.
This is the first time Russian Tupolevs have flown over or
interacted with a U.S. carrier since 2004.
In that incident, a Russian Tupolev flew over the aircraft
carrier USS Kitty Hawk in the Sea of Japan on Jan. 29, 2004. Since
then, however, relations between the U.S. and Russia have
deteriorated to their worst point since the Cold War, largely due
to the United States' plans to put a radar system in the Czech
Republic and 10 missile defense interceptors in Poland.
The U.S. has defended the plan as necessary to protect its
European allies from possible attacks by Iran. But the Kremlin has
condemned the proposal, saying it would threaten Russia's security.
"We are being forced to take retaliatory steps," said Russian
President Vladimir Putin, who also warned that a new arms race is
under way.
Japan, meanwhile, filed a formal protest with the Russian
Embassy in Tokyo after Saturday's incident, saying that one of the
Russian bombers crossed into Japanese airspace for three minutes.
Russia has denied there was an intrusion.
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On the Net:
U.S. Navy Carriers:
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact-display.asp?cid4200&tid200&ct4
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